Kanye West Becomes the Donald Trump of Music

When Kanye West says he’s on another level than everybody else he’s right. The Chicago rapper has now taken his egomaniacal routine to a level beyond exaggeration that is impossible to lampoon. How can “Saturday Night Live,” or any other creative outlet, parody a man whose own words reside beyond the pale of exaggeration?

West’s public statements are more than confidence becoming cockiness or arrogance becoming solipsism. His act is to express personal views that few actually hold. Almost nobody in America believes the outrageous things he says so why should we believe that he truly does? He has become to music and popular culture what Donald Trump is to politics, Ann Coulter is to current events what Skip Bayless is to sports.

These four individuals are extremely unique to their fields because they adopt such extreme, often morally and intellectually indefensible positions.

Only West (or Coulter, Trump, and Bayless for that matter) can honestly say whether or not they hold such egregious beliefs deep within their hearts, but at least their true motivation is hiding within plain sight. For their own self-interest, each of these individuals must stay relevant no matter what the cost. Hence they’ve taken Oscar Wilde’s famous quote: “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about,” to bold new heights (or depths). Yeezy is the next step evolving this ideal (if you can call it an “ideal”) that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” The phrase is often credited to Mae West, who we’re told derived it from Belle Epoque Paris “Succes de Scandale,” or “success from scandal.”

Ye’s trademark (in addition to having several nicknames) is constantly reminding us he’s “the greatest of all time.” This itself is derivative of 1980s World Wrestling Federation superstar the Honky Tonk Man; who used to say it in just about every interview he ever did. Given that Honky Tonk Man was a character loosely based on Elvis, it’s fitting that West now replicates a cartoonish version of a rock star.

It’s the best way to summate West these days- a cartoonish derivative of a once transcendent, ground-breaking musician.

His critics say he jumped the shark many years ago, and if there’s a precise moment marking that transition (or degeneration) it’s the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

When West infamously came on stage and ruined/interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Video, he both made his WWE style heel turn and ignited a high profile celebrity feud that continues to this day.

As a life-long Chicagoan, I speak from experience in saying that West is now on par with Jim Belushi and Jenny McCarthy in the “don’t judge our city by this person” territory.

I must reiterate that West, Belushi and McCarthy neither represent us nor inspire much civic pride. We’re a city that gave the world nuclear weapons, McDonald’s and cell phones, but this celebrity triad might be even more unhealthy for you than that troika of innovation.

Those I’ve spoken to who personally know Mr. West claim he’s actually a really nice guy who doesn’t really believe some of the outrageous things that he says, for what that’s worth.

Whether he does or doesn’t, the motive is obviously financial. West is $53 million in debt and just released a new album he desperately needs to register off-the-charts sales figures. In order to do those numbers he needs us incessantly talking about him, even if all we’re saying is how much we hate him. This parsimoniously explains the new direction of West’s official verified Twitter account. It now reads like a parody account and America’s new favorite past time is sub-tweeting and mocking it.

But the school you dropped out of is struggling to even exist right now. Can’t you donate to Chicago St.? https://t.co/rE4InPgwTX

I do it regularly hoping to get a response, but thus far, West has ignored me. That’s understandable as thousands of Americans do the exact same everyday. West loves to claim that he’s the voice of our generation. In this bold new era of incessant trolling, he may have a point.

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Paul M. Banks is a regular contributor to RedEye, the Chicago Tribune's youth-oriented daily newspaper. He appears regularly on WGN's CLTV (usually wearing a sport coat with skinny jeans) and KOZN 1620 The Zone. Banks previously contributed to the NBC Chicago and Washington Times websites. He currently owns and manages The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Growing up with three older sisters and no brothers, he inevitably ended up a member of #TeamOverDressed